Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment -Adult Bullying PolicyThe Board of Management of Scoil Charthaigh Naofa recognises that all employees have the right to a workplace free from sexual harassment and is fully committed to ensuring that all employees are able to enjoy that right.There is a responsibility on all employees to ensure a workplace free from sexual harassment, and to be aware of this policy.Any complaint of sexual harassment shall be fully and properly investigated and, if substantiated will be regarded as grounds for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. An attempt will be made to resolve the complaint informally in the first instance but if this is not possible, a formal procedure will be invoked. Confidentiality will be ensured insofar as possible, at all times during the investigation for all parties involved.

What is sexual harassment? Sexual harassment means unwanted conduct of a sexual nature or other conduct based on a person's sex which affects the dignity of men and women at work. This can include unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct which is offensive and causes discomfort or humiliation to the individual concerned.Examples of sexual harassment include:1. Unwanted physical or verbal advances.2. Unwanted touching or physical gestures3. Comments and remarks of a sexual or discriminatory nature4. Unwelcome comments about personal appearance5. Demands of sexual favours6. Displays of pinups and pornographic material7. Innuendoes of a sexual nature or based on a person's sex8. BullyingThis list is not exhaustive.

Adult bullying in the workplaceWhat is Adult Bullying?The Health and Safety Authority defines bullying as followsBullying in the workplace is repeated aggression, verbal, psychological or physical, conducted by an individual or group against another person or persons. Bullying is where aggression or cruelty, viciousness intimidation or a need to humiliate or dominate the relationship. Isolated incidents of aggressive behaviour, while to be condemned, and should not be described as bullying. In the workplace environment there can be conflict and interpersonal difficulties. Many of these are legitimate industrial relations difficulties, which should be dealt with through appropriate industrial relations channels. Only aggressive behaviour which is systematic and ongoing should be regarded as bullying.In summary, adult bullying can take many forms which usually include:" Intimidation or harassment" Aggression" Verbal abuse" Humiliation" Undermining" Dominance or abuse of power" Different or unfavourable treatment" Exclusion or isolation

Making a complaint of sexual harassment /adult bullyingAny employee who feels that he/she is being or has been sexually harassed or bullied should ask the perpetrator to stop. Where this form of action is unsuccessful the employee may report the matter to any of the following-the Principal, INTO staff representative or teacher/member of the B.O.M of Scoil Charthaigh Naofa.Attempts will be made to resolve matters informally, if appropriate. If it is not possible to resolve the matter informally, a formal complaints procedure shall be applied incorporating the following steps:1. A written report to the B.O.M should be made by the complainant (or an authorised person to whom the complaint has been made) signed by the complainant.2. The complaint will be investigated with minimum delay as confidentially as possible by two individuals named by the BOM, one of whom shall be the same sex as the complainant and the alleged perpetrator.3. Both parties may be accompanied /represented at all interviews/meetings held, and these shall be recorded.4. Where a complaint is found to be substantiated, the extent and nature of the harassment will determine the action to be taken. These actions may include a verbal warning, a written warning, and suspension from some duties with or without pay, suspension from full duties with or without pay or dismissal.5. Where an employee is victimised as a result of invoking or participating in any aspect of the complaints procedure , including acting as a witness for another employee , such behaviour will also be subject to disciplinary action.No record of any complaint will be registered on an employee's file unless the formal procedure outlined above has been invoked. It is the policy of the school that issues of sexual harassment are best dealt with within the school. However, no aspect of this policy affects any employee's legal rights to take their complaint outside the school.This policy will be subject to periodic review